A Change in Seasons
by deathkid1313
Summary: "Are you two making out now? Cause I don't like it when you two fight," their childhood creation said while giving them wary glances [Post-Frozen]
1. Chapter 1

There's something irresistible about the relationship between Elsa and Anna, be it platonic or not. It's the potential, methinks.  
It has been a long time since I last wrote, so I pray that the writing is coherent and acceptable.  
All mistakes, big or small, are mine.

Fair warning on **spoilers, fluff, OC and general OoC**.

Hell awaits my soul, and probably yours too :)

* * *

The girl, no, woman—her coming of age ceremony did take place after all, despite its abrupt end—was awoken by the gentle rasping on her door, _tap—tap—tap-tap—tap._ She didn't rise from bed immediately, in favor of lying still, fists resting on the silky satin sheets. The high ceiling loomed over her, very much akin to an austere glare. Even with sunlight shining into the bedchamber now that summer had arrived, she was reminded of the loneliness that was her only company in this very room.

The knock on the door was ever so familiar. For a second, she had forgotten that all that isolation was a thing of the past. Perhaps her mind was fooling her, it wouldn't be a first. _Maybe everything was a dream?_

"Elsa!" The sound carried into the room, muffled.

_Anna._ Combing her naked fingers through the platinum blond tresses that fell over her shoulder, she cleared her throat to grant permission. But before the words could leave her mouth, the door to her bedchamber swung open violently; in fell her baby sister.

A thud, followed by a groan. The woman stared wide-eyed at her sister, who lay sprawled on the lacquered flooring. Shaking away her shock, she crawled off her bed in haste.

"Are you alright, Anna?"

The strawberry blonde girl sat up gingerly, muttering, "I'm fine, Elsa. Just a bump to add to the collection."

The girl gave a breathless chuckle, hoping to assuage the concern she heard laced in the older one's voice. Unwilling to meet the pair of frosty blue eyes, Anna focused on rubbing her jaw with no mercy, mad at her own blunder. She chastised herself internally, _Clumsy Anna, are you even royalty?_

Elsa seized the hand when she saw the grimace that passed her sister's freckled face. Yet the hold lasted for less than a second. Slim fingers released the wrist they held captive as if burnt by contact. A chilly breeze blew across the spacious bedchamber. At that moment, both sisters stared at each other in awkward silence.

The utter discouragement of human contact for the past 13 years had made the Snow Queen apprehensive of it; the fear of bringing unintentional harm to her loved ones was never far from her mind. _What if I freeze her again? What if my power slips and bad things happen? _

Seemingly aware of the thoughts in Elsa's mind, Anna brought her sister's hand to the bruise and pressed it there. Her efforts were met with some resistance at first, the cold hand wanting to slip away from the younger girl's grasp.

"The cold will help," the princess stated matter-of-factly. A second later, a whispered "You can help."

The fear in Elsa's mind subsided at these simple words. _I can help._ A warm feeling bloomed in her chest, presenting itself as a demure smile on the outwards. Anna returned the gesture.

"I do hope you do not make a habit of collecting scars and bruises." She proceeded to massage the spot with great care and tenderness, the natural chill of her body reducing the throbbing pain.

"Maybe I should be in full body armor to stave off injuries?" Anna offered without much thought. She giggled as memories of the poor armored knight by the staircase that she had damaged quite a number of times came to her mind.

Acknowledging her sister's attempt to lighten the mood, Elsa bantered along, "Shall I notify the blacksmith today?"

The strawberry blonde grinned as wide as her bruised jaw allowed her to. "I can be your knight in shining armor. Defend our kingdom, protect Your Majesty. After all we've been through, I am pretty knightly...in a way."

In _what_ way, Elsa knew. It was a matter that evoked pride and disappointment, the former for her sister, the latter in her own self. She was supposed to protect her baby sister and keep her out of harm's way. Instead, Elsa was fooled to think her sister dead by her own hands.

When the conniving prince broke the false news, she lost herself. The raging storm that was always present in her very core vanished, and it left her with an ache—a hollow void in place of a heart. Not even the sound of steel unsheathing could bring her out of her mourning state. It wasn't until she sensed the drop in the temperature that she was accustomed to after using her power that she found herself face to face with the frozen state of her sister.

The woman pinched the girl's cheek as she said, "Now, aren't you a smug little bug?" _She saved us both, and Arendelle as well._

"Hey! You know it's true. I have witnesses!" the girl defended hotly. She put on an adorable pout when the older sibling pursed her lips to prevent her mirth from escaping.

Soon after, the hand that was serving as an ice pack returned to its duty. The strawberry blonde sighed at the analgesic effect, shifting her body closer to her sister. A sense of relief flooded Elsa; for once, she was not the cause of her pain.

* * *

_Was it wrong of me to reject Anna's invitation? Truly I did not give false word about the workload I am facing now, but oh…the dejected look on her face._

It smelled of spring. Elsa let her gaze wander, taking in the magnificent floral arrangements that lined the sidewalls of the otherwise dull courtroom. She was never well-acquainted with the blossoms of spring and summer. During her younger years, the day was set for lectures and lessons. Pedagogues invited by her royal father strolled into the library one after another; each wise man came in with his own brand of knowledge: geography, arithmetic, history, oratory.

It was all done in her best interest, she knew.

_Be the good girl you always have to be._

The 7-year-old princess took up her studies in a flourish manner. She was lauded for her eagerness to learn, praised for possessing a sharp mind at that young of age; but it was her discipline that was the main subject of adulation of the kingdom. How many times had she heard the older maidservants talking among themselves: "If only my child was like Princess Elsa."

_You wouldn't want a cursed child._

A deafening crash broke her reverie. Blue eyes, still hazy coming out of a memory, fell upon the source of the disruption.

"Are you hurt?" the queen asked, striding towards the pool of shattered glass and the frightful girl dressed in a maidservant's robe, who wore a look of a startled fawn.

"Forgive me for my clumsiness, Your Majesty," the girl said while hanging her head low in submission and contrite. She made a move to kneel but was halted by the queen.

"It is a small matter," the queen spoke with finality. Then, she fixed the girl with a scrutinizing gaze, "More importantly, are you hurt?"

"N-no, Your Majesty," the maid shook her head to emphasize her point.

"That is good. Fetch a broom and let us clean this mess up."

Elsa watched as the brown-haired girl took her leave, only to stop a few steps away from the courtroom entrance to perform a bow before running again.

"So young to be working in the castle," Elsa murmured to herself as she waved her hand in an upward motion, crystallizing the water that spilled on the stone floor. There were a few stems of magnolia and lilac on the floor, all white in color, _so these are responsible for the sweet smell._

Holding the product of her powers, she uttered the words under her breath.

"Love will thaw."

The queen was in the middle of diffusing the ice crystal in her hand when the girl entered the courtroom with a broom and dustpan.

Hazel eyes were filled with amazement and wonder at the sight of the monarch using her powers. The air glittered with tiny flakes of ice crystals and the room felt colder than it had been before.

"Whoaaa!"

The queen turned around and faced the girl. A look of merriment was etched on the chubby face, reminding Elsa of her baby sister when they used to make the ballroom their personal winter wonderland.

As soon as the crystals melted away, the maid quickly busied herself with clearing the wreck she had caused.

"Did you pick the flowers?"

To be honest, Elsa was quite curious about the decorations in the courtroom, for she had not ordered for anything to be done with the exception of the opening of the high windows.

The girl paused her sweeping and responded, "Princess Anna did, Your Majesty."

The blonde's eyes crinkled, _yes, who else would know to choose white?_

Elsa walked up to the vase next to the shattered one and examined the blooming plant. "When were you given this order?" she asked.

Gardenia, if her memory served her right. She leaned in to capture its unique smell, _sugary._

Caught up in her own world, she almost did not hear the young maid's answer: "Yesterday, Your Majesty. Princess Anna said she wanted your first day in court to be memorable."

"You have my gratitude," she did a small curtsey for the girl, eyes twinkling with amusement when she saw the rosy blush on her face. "Are you, by any chance, a child of a servant here? I've yet seen a hardworking girl as young as you in the castle before."

"Yes, Your Majesty. My papa is the stable master and my mama works as a serving maid. I was born in the same year as Princess Anna, Your Majesty," the girl replied in honesty.

Elsa nodded in understanding; the girl's revelation of her age confirmed her suspicion. "You were her companion, when I was…away. What is your name?"

"Helena, Your Majesty. And yes, I-I tried my best," the girl directed a downcast glance at the shards of glass and crushed flowers. "B-but Princess Anna missed you dearly, Your Majesty,"

The queen followed her line of sight. _That sentiment was never one-sided._

The maid suddenly stood up straight and bowed deeply, "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but the counselors will soon be arriving. May I request Your Majesty's leave?"

With the high windows open wide, the afternoon sun bathed the room with enough light to forgo the notion of lighting candles. Judging by the position of her own shadow, Elsa realized that she had delayed the girl from her duties for far too long.

The queen put on her winning smile, "Thank you, Helena. You may take your leave."

* * *

"We have come to a decision on this alliance with DunBroch, fellow counselors," the Queen of Arendelle concluded. She swept the courtroom with her stoic blue eyes, challenging anyone to rise and give opposition.

When none arose, she dipped her pen into the ink bowl. With an air of regality, she penned her name on the piece of smooth parchment detailing the minute aspects of the mutual alliance. The royal seal came down and she declared in an orotund voice, "Arendelle is now legitimately an allied state to DunBroch, the highlands of Scotland."

"Eyyyh!" her counselors of six roared in unison. They took up their goblets and drank their wine with gusto.

Elsa looked into her own goblet, swirling the pinkish liquid around before taking a timid sip. Her face pinched at the sour liquid. She returned her goblet of gold back to table.

The advisor who was sitting on her left let out a hearty guffaw, "Wine does not sit well with Your Majesty, I see." His moustache purpling as the wine seeped into the grey.

"I would rather end this meeting sober, Lord Glenn," the queen retorted. She then added a well-timed smile to take the edge off her words. _I never understood the practice of imbibing._

She allowed the drinking to continue as she listened in on some of the chatters, for it seemed apt to show her fellow countrymen that she will not be harsh in her rule. It would do her well to have them give counsel in earnest and not fear.

The list of matters that required the queen's attention remained as long and complex as the grand staircase in the castle, yet exhaustion had already gnawed its way into her. Turning her body to address the whole court, she gave her leave, "I hope my devoted counselors do not mind, but I shall like to end the meeting now as the issues that are of utmost importance have been discussed."

She motioned the attending servants to take care of the parchments and pens before continuing, "I am sure we all have families waiting for us. We shall adjourn tomorrow, at the same time."

The courtroom bustled with the sound of heels striking stone. Each counselor came forward to kneel before the queen regnant, swearing their fealty to Arendelle and the royal family. Uneasy for the men, Elsa was sure, to skin their knees for a woman who was half of their age. Nevertheless, it was a customary practice to pledge loyalty to the sovereign on the first formal council meeting._ "Respect is earned, that which is not earned should not be trusted,"_ the words of a philosopher came to her mind.

The queen expressed her gratitude to every single one of the counselors, complimenting their commitment to Arendelle for serving voluntarily under an inexperienced ruler such as her. She played the diplomat with ease—personally inquiring about the well-being of their families, talking about the local markets, asking about hobbies and trades.

Beyond any doubt, the counselors left the courtroom with a more adorned impression of the queen than when they entered, and Elsa had her royal father and former pedagogues to thank for that.

* * *

Elsa's eyes drifted to the empty slot at the far left corner of the room that disturbed the symmetry of the tableau before her. There were 15 vases on the right, but only 14 on the left. The young maid did not manage to replace the broken one due to the holdup with the queen.

The wine and goblets have been cleared away by the maids; the table was spotless and neat safe for the royal crown which she had taken off when she was finally alone.

_Now what do I do? Papers await me in the private chamber, yet this weariness won't leave me. Should I have some food first…maybe chocolate can keep me awake._

She remained in the high seat propping her head on her hand, deep in thought.

Someone cleared their throat.

Elsa schooled her features instinctively, straightening her back as if jolted by lightning. She cast an impassive gaze to the intruder.

Kristoff thought he would freeze on the spot when the queen looked at him with her cold blue eyes. He gulped down the sudden impulse to escape the room while his limbs were still functional and stood at attention.

The gaze softened a little when she realized who he was, and boy did he thank his lucky stars.

The fair-headed man did not reckon himself a coward. He had faced burly men who tried to cheat him, temperamental grannies who smacked him up and down when delivery was late, even a snow giant with claws of ice. Surely that had to add some points to his courage. Yet, meeting the Queen of Arendelle made him implicitly nervous. _Inferior is the word, I think._

"Ice Master, to what do I owe this pleasure?" the queen said in a polite tone. Even in a sitting position, her form was fierce and powerful.

"Ah, I, uh…came to report that the ice business is…uhm…booming…thanks to Your Majesty, of course," Kristoff stammered, his fingers twitching behind his back. _Coward._

"Elsa is fine. As a family friend, you shouldn't mind yourself with the formalities," the platinum blonde reminded him before granting him a sight of the sincere smile that rarely appeared in the absence of her sister.

So rare that it temporarily distracted Kristoff.

"…be sure to work hard, winter will be upon us soon."

He blinked. _Winter? What?_ A frown crawled up his face out of confusion.

"A natural winter, I mean," the queen clarified with a sidelong glance.

Kristoff chortled and rubbed his dirty blond hair as embarrassment painted his cheeks red. He decided to test the name, "I'm sorry, Elsa, my attention span is as short as Sven's, at least that's what Anna says."

The woman's face beamed again at the mention of the strawberry blonde. _She does look stunning, more so than usual._ The pale beauty angled her head towards the high window, observing the orange tint of the sky; her lips formed a straight line.

Kristoff noted the fall of the smile. He ran his tongue across the back of his teeth, trying to find the words to explain the real reason he came. The royal sisters of Arendelle had grown up together, only to be split apart by the cruel twist of fate…like ice. _Melt the ice and you won't be able to tell one from another._

When he saw the longing gaze on the blonde's face, he realized he did not need complicated words to convince her. It was plain on her countenance that she wanted to get out of the castle. The only thing standing in her way was her sense of duty, and well, this conversation.

"She wanted to take you to the gardens," Kristoff said gently. "Apparently flowers are a big deal to ladies…" he added, nodding his head at the walls of the courtroom.

The flash of guilt on Elsa's face confirmed his theory. She dragged her eyes away from the outside world and looked at her audience intently.

"I remember telling her to take you as her escort."

Thick-headed as he may be, Kristoff could read between the lines. The low tone told him that it would be wise to proceed with caution. Walking on thin ice, was how the adage went.

"I got rejected," the blonde man shrugged sheepishly as he recalled what the young princess had said when he offered. "Anna was adamant when she left, yelling 'I don't need a guy to follow me everywhere!'"

An exasperated response, "I… Forgive my sister's tactlessness. She-"

"No, no. Brusque honesty is good," Kristoff interrupted. He received a peculiar look, but carried on, "I don't mind it. Actually, I don't think anyone minds it. She is upfront with what wants."

The queen leaned forward as if to speak, but her words abandoned at the last moment. She gave Kristoff a look of mutual understanding and made a move to rise from her seat.

"That, she is."

The man was aware of the sides of his lips twitching. When was the last time he felt this noble helping people?

**TBC**

**A/N: **

1. This takes place, say, 2 weeks after the Great Thaw.  
2. Elsa sleeps in her old bedroom, not the royal bedchamber that belonged to her parents.  
3. I cannot imagine Anna having no one at all(with her being so warm and bubbly), so I made up the girl. /shrugs  
4. White is Elsa's favourite colour, but she likes other colours too. It reminds her of innocence and purity.  
5. DunBroch is Merida's homeland.  
6. I have a hard time picturing how the crown would fit Elsa's new hairstyle. Like seriously, how?  
7. Kristoff is surprisingly fun to write. He's a good guy.

bye! oh and review if you please.


	2. Chapter 2

lessons start tomorrow /whines like Anna  
forgot to write a disclaimer. Characters do not belong to me.

enjoy :)

* * *

The hills surrounding Arendelle gave a magnificent view of the royal castle. It was a breathtaking scene to behold—the frost-covered building set against the still blue waters of the lake. The frozen snowflake crest was raised high in the air, never fading in its brilliance. Rumor had it that the crest would cry when the queen was in distraught, its radiance dimming slightly but never darkness. Many would find themselves in awe of its splendor, stopping in their tracks to gaze upon the mighty castle from the vantage point.

Though the walls of the castle stood tall and impregnable, the iron gates were no longer shut to the outside world. Lords and ladies came through the gates bearing gifts and favors, hoping to get an audience with the young queen. News about the Great Thaw had spread to the Southern Isles and beyond, prompting the dispatch of envoys and dignitaries from foreign lands to secure an alliance or negotiate trading rights.

Throngs of merchants and tradesmen mingled in the open courtyard, wanting no more than a chance to present their finest goods and custom wares to Her Majesty. They had little luck with their endeavor today, as the queen was preoccupied with a matter that took her out of the castle grounds.

Anna weaved the soft stems of the wild flowers together, displaying a certain measure of finesse that belied her usual clumsiness. On the quiet hillside, she was able to spot the spires of the royal castle poking the blue sky. She grumbled in childish frustration and pivoted her body so that her back was facing the place that reminded her of her sister.

The strawberry blonde plunked down on the sloping field, feeling a little awkward with her lower body positioned above her rear, tipping her balance backwards. She tucked her legs in, wiggling herself as she tried to get comfortable in her position. When Anna was satisfied, she continued her weaving, channeling her stress into her craftwork.

It wasn't long before the number of flower crowns multiplied and the immediate area around the princess became bare. The girl was in deep concentration, fixing the knots on her fifth handicraft, when she heard, or rather felt, a cooling sensation that made her spine tingle.

"Whatcha doing?" said an enthusiastic voice from her right.

Startled, Anna let out a shriek. Her distress caused her hands slipped and the vines that were holding the flowers together snapped.

"This reminds me of the day we met, except my head is still on my body," the animated snowman named Olaf tittered as he looked at the standing princess.

Anna had half a mind to send his head flying far, far away.

"Oh! Oh! Flowers! Can we make flower mans?" Olaf asked in earnest, the perpetual buck-toothed grin in place. Elsa had molded him after a 5-year-old Anna, naivety and all.

Now that is just unfair. The princess sighed as her anger seeped away, "I don't think we can, Olaf."

The snowman bent his odd-shaped body and picked at the ground. "Oh! Anna! What are these?"

"They're called flower crowns. I used to make a lot of these when I was younger," Anna replied, remembering the times she spent in the gardens alone. She took the one in Olaf's stick-hand and placed it on top on his head. But the crown was intended to be worn by a human, so it fell to his neck instead of staying on his head.

The blue-eyed girl laughed as Olaf said, "It fits like a scarf."

"Come on. I'll teach you how to make one, we'll give that to Sven," Anna proposed after checking the sun. She was glad that she had changed into a pair of breeches before leaving the castle—it made climbing hills far more convenient.

Gathering the materials was an easy task; well, they were lounging on a hill in summertime. Olaf decided that he wanted the colors of the rainbow for his crown, though Anna doubted that he had actually seen a rainbow before.

Her doubts were confirmed when the flowers they had gathered consisted of only 4 colors and the snowman gave no comment on it. She found an oak tree not too far up the hill, its branches thick and full of tender leaves. Sitting down under the shade, she started to guide the snowman on the basics of knotting and weaving.

"Elsa would have liked to make this," Olaf said out of a blue. The little guy had a knack of bringing up the emotional turmoil that she was facing from time to time, making her think maybe he wasn't so innocent at all.

Disappointment showed on the strawberry blonde's face. She adjusted the sleeves of her olive-green tunic before saying, "The _Queen_ is too busy to enjoy this fine weather."

"I think she's afraid of letting the people down…"

The snowman struggled with knotting. His stick-hands had some difficulty gripping the thin vines, so Anna provided assistance when needed.

"She wants to do good for the kingdom, give them a queen they deserve," the snowman said in a neutral tone, unaware that his master was zoning out.

_Elsa. Oh how could I forget that she's carrying the burden of the kingdom alone? You fool, Anna. And she's just came out of hiding after 13 years. What did I expect her to be? Free-spirited like when she was in the North Mountains… She was stunning up in that ice palace of hers, the epitome of confidence. Like nature itself, wild and majestic._

_Was it wrong for us to cage her in Arendelle?_

The thought made her ill. She loved Elsa dearly, even after the 13 years of separation—her very being and presence, alive and not frozen, confirmed it. But maybe binding her sister to Arendelle—to Anna—was not the best of options for her, and Elsa did deserve the best. Maybe she was staying just for Anna's sake, even when she could be running free in the wintry mountains of the North. Doubts whispered cruel jests in the princess's mind, blaming Anna's dependence on her sister as the sole reason she remained here in misery.

"Anna?" Olaf didn't like the look on the girl's face, not one bit.

The sun was beginning its descent into the waters, taking with it the light. When the strawberry blonde failed to respond to the call, Olaf poked her in the sides, effectively snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Your face is sad, Anna. Do flower crowns make you sad?"

The girl wanted to cover up her face, to lie and say she was fine, but her traitorous heart demanded for her worries to be heard, even if it was by an animated pile of snow. "Do you think Elsa is happy here?" the first question that tumbled out had a twinge of hesitance.

"Do you know if she feels safe?" the voice grew louder, and the rest came out as a scream, "Does she know that she doesn't need to be perfect? That she's not alone? That I'm here?"

_I should have asked her before._

The snowman stared at Anna; the sudden outburst had taken him by surprise.

A cold gust of wind swept across the field, rustling the leaves into an uproar. The 3 strands of twig-hairs on Olaf's head were whipping in the high current. The strength of the biting wind forced the princess and the snowman to shut their eyes.

Olaf was saved from answering when the subject of the princess's anxiety appeared before them.

"Anna…" the voice was breathless.

Elsa's cheeks were flushed due to physical exertion, the pink lips slightly apart as she panted. Her fair hair in a disheveled state due to the unintentional gale her powers had set off in response to the feelings swelling in her chest. At the sight (and sound) of her sister, the woman got down to her knees and cradled her little sister's face. Frost-blue eyes met the teary ones, a myriad of emotions reflecting in the pools of ice, but the one that burned the brightest was identified as regret.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Elsa said, over and over again as she pulled the girl into a tight embrace. Desperation was clawing at her insides to make things right.

"No. I'm sorry, Elsa," the princess interjected the repeating apologies. She returned the embrace, curling her arms across the slender back. Her fingers traced the fine details on the crystal bodice which the queen was so fond of wearing, hoping that it had the same calming effect on Elsa as it had on her.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing. I shouldn't have pushed. It was silly of me to get mad at you for being responsible. It was dumb." She wondered if the woman could feel her heartbeat quickening, _how odd._

Elsa detached herself from her sister, wanting to explain her mistake, unknowingly making the younger girl's heart fall a little. "No. I should've made time for you. I promised I would make up for the lost years."

Wiping away the remnants of her tears, the girl shook her head and smiled wistfully, "You already are. We've been breaking our fasts together every day since you came back." _You don't have to be perfect._

"B-but we-"

She stopped the queen with a finger to her rosy lips. "It's enough, for now."

The platinum blonde felt her sister linger for a while, the fingertip brushed against her lips like a phantom touch. Blood rushed to her cheeks, _w-was I imagining things?_ She tried to catch those glittering blue eyes but they were already averted.

"Are you two making out now? Cause I don't like it when you two fight," their childhood creation said while giving them wary glances, completely ignorant of the verbal gaffe he made.

The blush on Elsa's face was intensifying, Anna noticed. A look of utter befuddlement had occupied the elder sister's face, her mouth hung open in silence. The princess concluded that only Elsa could wear a face of total bewilderment and embarrassment while still appearing somewhat cute.

Unable to hold her poker face, the girl let out a paroxysm of laughter and fell to her side.

The woman frowned at Anna, who was rolling on the grass, holding her tummy as her laughter filled the vacant hills. She watched as curls of strawberry blonde hair unwound from the two braided pigtails, fanning around her sister's head. _She is summer—warmth and laughter._

A slow smile wormed its way across Elsa's face and soon, she joined her sister in her hysterics. The situation ended with her lying on the ground with Anna, Olaf sitting in between them. And they just stayed that way for a moment or two.

Looking past the leaves of the oak tree, she saw that the light was almost gone.

"Are you two done? We should head back to the castle soon," she called out to the two children of summer.

Anna adjusted the miniature flower crown on the snowman's head. "There you go, Olaf. Just right."

She then moved around to face the woman. Out of the four flower crowns looped around her arm, one was as white as the virgin snow. She parted the unkempt bangs aside to look at the pale blue eyes.

With all the grace that the princess could muster, she placed the circlet of flower on Elsa's head, "I crown thee, Queen of Love and Beauty, Goddess of Ice and Winter, Protector of Arendelle and sister of mine, eternally."

* * *

Elsa was reading in bed when the knocking came. The luminous moonlight filtered into the bedchamber, bathing the white walls in a silvery glow. A fat candle was burning on the bedside table, aiding the queen in her nightly perusals of scrolls and tomes.

She was wearing a purple nightdress of delicately-woven silk—a gift from her late mother. The garment still fitted her body accordingly after 3 years, albeit the hem was a finger width shorter than it used to be. Her hair was free from its usual French braid, cascading down her back with the likeness of a waterfall.

As Elsa had guessed, the door opened to her baby sister, who was modestly dressed in a cerulean nightie with lacey patterns around collar. On the crown of her head laid a ring of wildflowers.

There was a short pause as Anna gawked at her sister.

"Hi," the elder sibling said with an amused expression, when it was clear that Anna lacked the mental capacity to initiate a conversation.

"…um… Hi. You…you look beautiful," the girl replied with a nervous chuckle, "Not that you don't look beautiful other times, cause you do. I just meant that not everyone looks good in sleeping attire, but obviously you're not one of them… oh God, I'll just shut up now."

Elsa smiled serenely at her, knowing full well about her sister's tendency to blabber on in awkward situations. She stepped aside to let Anna into her bedchamber while returning the compliment, "You are beautiful, too, Anna."

The small smile on the freckled girl's face didn't go unnoticed. She went to the unoccupied side of the giant bed and crawled under the covers.

"I was hoping we could talk tonight…and I could sleep over like when we were kids."

The platinum blonde filed away the scrolls on her bed and sat with her sister. "Of course we can. My door is always open to you."

There was a palpable silence. _She is unsure._

"Anna, whate-"

"Are you happy, Elsa?" Anna's gaze snapped to the blue eyes, demanding an honest answer.

"Yes." The reply came in a tone that brooked no dissent. Elsa had prepared herself for the questions that she had overheard that evening, fully intending to clear away the doubts once and for all.

"I am happy here, with you. There may be days where I am grouchy and ill-mannered but please do not take that as a sign of dissatisfaction with my life in Arendelle. Even the stacks of paperwork and vapid council meetings will not diminish the happiness in my heart knowing that you are here, safe. And the fault is mine that you have not known this until now."

"The duty of a monarch is…onerous. But it is a burden that has been passed down from our forefathers, and I think it would please our late father and mother very much if I could be a good ruler." Elsa closed her eyes to conjure the image of her parents—her last memory of them before they boarded the ship. _You'll be fine, Elsa._

A hand covered her clenched fist. "Let me help you. I can read and write, maybe not as fast as you can, but still…" the princess offered.

The queen seemed unsure; she didn't want Anna to be burdened by the tedious tasks.

"Come on. This way, we can spend time together without putting off your duties. You know it's an excellent plan, even though _I_ came up with it," the strawberry blonde pleaded, leaning her face closer to her sister.

Elsa didn't stand a chance.

"I will only allow it, if, you take classes with the tutors and go through your books again."

Her sister whined at the condition set. But in the end, she bobbed her head in resignation.

"Good, now your first lesson will be tomorrow, straight after breakfast. Arithmetic," the woman whispered the last term as if it was a dirty word, a grin playing on her face.

"Ugh. You are a jerk," Anna said. Turning away from the supercilious smirk, she buried herself under the silk covers.

Elsa giggled at her sister's antics and stretched her body over to extinguish the flickering flame, plunging them into the darkness. She slid under the covers and lay quiet for a while. Shifting to her side, her right hand sought out her sister's jaw and she sensed the sharp intake of breath when her fingers made contact.

"Does it hurt still?"

In the dead of night, the world faded away. Warm fingers laced together with the cold ones, bringing the hand over to the girl's heart. "No. Not anymore."

A frosty kiss on the tousled reddish-blond hair.

Sleep came to them instantly.

On the small table in the bedchamber, the two flower crowns lay side by side each other, the owners of them in similar position on the bed. Snuggled in the heat and cold of each other's embrace, a dream of everlasting spring drew an identical pair of sweet smiles on their faces.

**END**

* * *

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Happy New Year! Have a wonderful 2014!


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